Billy Beer is usually held up as an example of a failed brand, much like Ford’s Edsel. According to an article from Mental Floss, Kentucky’s Falls City Brewing Company thought a deal with President Carter’s brother would bring them back from the brink. Billy Carter, you see, was a hard-drinking, self-described “red neck” with a known preference for Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Falls City let him pick the brew he liked best from several samples and paid him a fee for his name and promotional services. The can bore his signature and a quote: “I had this beer brewed just for me. It’s the best beer I’ve ever tasted. And I’ve tasted a lot.”

The brewery realized they might not be able to keep up with demand, so they licensed their product to three other regional breweries — including Pearl Brewing Co. According to the Express, Pearl’s “marketing area would be the largest” of the four breweries making the beer, and it would debut in February.

Turned out that Billy Beer was a better story than a beer. Even Billy admitted that he still drank Pabst Blue Ribbon at home. Falls City closed its doors before the end of 1978; its brands were bought by another brewing company.

Billy Carter died in 1988 of cancer at age 51.

Falls City Brewing itself has found new life. The (Louisville) Courier-Journal reported last year that after the trademark lapsed, a local “software entrepreneur” purchased it with plans to produce small quantities back in the company’s hometown. It’s now making a pale ale — and I don’t see Billy Beer mentioned in “Our History” on the new company’s website.

You may have heard: the Pearl Brewery is now a multi-use development. Ironically, it was last owned by Pabst, maker of Billy Carter’s favorite brand, and closed for good in 2001. Billy Beer was not its only novelty beer, either. According to Express-News archives, Pearl also made J.R. Ewing’s Private Stock — as in “Who Shot J.R.?”.

And I’m still shocked that the Sex Pistols review was the top story in the Express the day after the concert.